The Slow Start
Ataram Aghavni was sitting in a stuffy court on the second floor belcony as she was listening to Mayor of Fyovesh, Ulanhu speak about the policies of the country Seven's health stability claiming it being in responsible shape as a member of the chair, Congressman Lisa Beckly rejected his claims of stability and claiming how it was in much worse a state then they'd have you believe. This discussion carried out for several hours only for it to be ajourned until the 5th of March on a Thursday. Stepping out of the court she yawned, she hadn't slept in days as there were bags under her eyes and even bruises on her arms which she kept covered by long gloved sleeves which she had received from her husband, their marriage was falling apart every since she had the child as he continually went off on drunken tirades which commonly ended in him beating her. She on the other hand had other things on her mind which caused her restless nights, it wasn't the abuse that exhausted her, but the fact she had been researching medical magic and training herself in it for a little over a month now to help her ill ridden child. She had walked down the street only but a ways before she collapsed onto the grass... In the midst of the day, two young people could be seen exploring the city and seeing the site's that it had to offer as they made their way to the park. However, "Brother, look..." A female voice said as the brother looked over to find that there was a woman passed out on the grass. "Oh no..." He quickly said running towards her as he held her in his hands, looking at her as he felt her pulse, "She's weak, we need to get her back to our place" He said running with her being carried in a bridal form as the girl ran behind him. Several hours had transpired since she had suddenly collapsed, losing consciousness. Waking up she had noticed she was not in her house, but rather a hospital bed as a doctor stood beside her explaining her sudden collapse as it was brought about by an utter lack stamina, total exhaustion. He expatiated in great lengths, especially about the bruises on her arm, seeing as she was a mage though he just swept it under as partaking in to many missions and should pull back and relax. "Seem's our patient finally woke up" The doctor said with a smile as he took one final look at her before smiling and writting the last of his reports on the notepad. "You're very lucky to have been found, I would only imagine what would have happened if we didn't get your wounds looked at" The doctor said before finishing his report and opening the window's to allow the light to come in. Ataram woke up as she smiled and nodded walking out of the room after several minutes of getting dressed. The doctor had left the room prior to her being ready to leave. Walking out into the hall she spots two individuals sitting on a bench in the hall. "Hey there!" The young one said smiling as she went over to check up on her, smiling as the older boy walked over to see her. "We're so glad to see that you're okay, we have to admit, we were pretty scared that you were going to die when we found you passed out. I'm Alice Flieur, this is my older brother, Brock Sanchez" The girl told her as she looked at the two of them. "Pleasure to meet you" Brock said smiling at her. She nodded with a smile, "thank you for helping me" she said extending a hand to shake theirs as she did she walked passed them, "my name is Ataram" was all she said not giving her last name away as she felt it not necessary. She walked out into the lobby where she signed her releases papers. "So, where exactly were you heading when we found you on the floor?" Alice asked as the girl finished writing her signature and information before turning over to them. "Sis, I'm sure that she didn't need us poking around, sorry about my sister, she tends to forget that some people don't like sharing" Brock said before looking back at the woman. "It's perfectly alright," she said looking at the two of them, "I was heading over to the medical magic research library" she said with a smile. "Huh, it's so weird, we were actually heading there too, why don't we travel there together, would be much better than just going by yourself" Brock said as Alice nodded in agreement before grabbing her hand and beginning to pull her as Brock followed both girls. Brock saw that they stopped outside in front of the hospital as he walked out, but quickly noticed why, in front of them were a legion of people in black tight outfit's with their face covered as they only had what appeared to be a mechanical eye on them. "Brock Sanchez, aka Subject Zero, we need you to come with us" He said in a mono-tone deep voice before the trio waked back a bit, they knew that in this case they were in trouble as the entire front was surrounded by the group. "Sorry, but like I told the last group, I ain't going anywhere" He said before magic started to emerge from his body, causing a strange metallic liquid to appear before it solidifed and created long claws. Then right at that moment, he disappeared as the legion ran to attack as Brock began slashing down easily. Several soldiers jumped from on top of the building aiming for Ataram and Alice. They figured they could capture the two women and force Brock to come with them using a blackmail device of threatening Ataram and Alice's life. As the two men descended they put bladed weapons at both of the girls throats. "Any false moves and we slit their jugular!" one of the faceless men called out as Ataram slipped a seed out from between her thumbs where the man behind her was standing as it rolled between his spread out stance. "Grip" she said under her breath in some ancient language, the language of Gaia. As it sprouted in the blink of an eye as the faceless man shouted in agony as the plant ripped his legs apart. The other man watching in shocked suspense before he began to run his blade across Alice's throat but Ataram grabbed the blade before moving it away as the man slit Ataram's hands with his blade. He then tried to swing again to lop Ataram's head off calling her an annoying bitch as a red rapier suddenly formed and suddenly the man stopped in mid swing... as his own throat began bleeding before his head fell off as his body dropped. Blood dripping profusely from Ataram's hands where she had been cut open. "Brock!" Alice shouted as she tried to stop the bleeding. Brock had slashed three grunts as he looked over to see that Atarama was injured as he quickly went over to her, grabbing her hand with his normal one as suddenly liquid started to appear and approach the wound. When it got around it, the liquid started glowing as it slowly wrapped itself around her hand. "Keep that on there for a few minutes, Alice, we're gonna need the blade". Alice gave Brock an annoyed look on her face before she reached for a sword that was resting on her back, but as she gripped it, black liquid emerged as it suddenly enveloped her body, hardening around itself until it appeared as if she was wearing a suit of armor. "Let's eat..." Both Alice and Brock went on the assult, beating and killing most of the grunts with ease until they were nothing than piles of bodies on the floor. "Thank you" Ataram said, she had never seen such a liquid before. She could've healed herself using Gaia's Blood but it was an interesting aspect she had saw. The day passed as Ataram had went back into the hospital to grab some papers she remembered she had left behind before coming out to notice a crowd gathered as she walked down the steps over the bodies, "what was that about exactly? We really should alert the authorities and call for a clean up as well" she suggested. Both Brock and Alice had been hurt from the battle as they were put in the hosptial after the fight and were bandaged slightly on their bodies when they were released. "Wait for it...." Suddenly out of nowhere, the bodies began to shake in a spasm as the membrane started to emit what appeared to be a corossive acid that not only melted the bodies and left no trace, but even the membrane suit's were destroyed as well. "These guy's don't leave anything behind, no reason to call for clean up" Brock replied. Ataram looked at Brock and Alice relieved such a situation had passed as she began walking down the steps, "well, I'm off to the healing research facility, are you coming with me like you wanted to a few hours ago still? Or did you change your minds?" Both Brock and Alice nodded in agreement as the trio began their long walk towards the medical facility that was located on the other side of town. Insurgial Research The two hour walk to the facility had finally come to an end as the trio arrived at the entrance to the facility, noticing that there were much more secuirty guards than they originally thought. "Interesting...." Alice said as Brock walked over to Atarama. "You know I never asked, why exactly did you need to come here?" He said looking at her. "Oh! Becuase I want to learn as much healing magic as I can" she said as she walked down the street entering the facility. Brock entered in after her as Alice stayed outside. The duo began walking further and further into the facility until they reached the central library, home to the epicenter of knowledge. "Wow... I've only ever heard rumor's about this place, but I never thought it actually existed" Brock said as some of the books were taken out by what appeared to be unusual flying creatures. Ataram walked in as she went up to the front desk and gave a name of requested titles as the receptionist went through the computer database and wrote down on a piece of paper handing it to one of the flying beasts as it flew off. The receptionist said it'd take just a few moments to gather as Ataram went to sit on the nearby bench. Brock went to sit next to her as they were waiting, unknowngly, he could feel her hand touch his as they both pulled them away and looked elsewhere. "So, why do you need to find out more about healing magic?" He asked. "I told you, because I'd like to learn as much as possible about this area of magic" she said, although she was a tight clench suddenly in her muscles as if gripped with a sudden emotional response as indicated by her slight eye flicker which would imply she wasn't ready to tell her real reasons in detail to Brock yet. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine..." Brock said as the beasts finally came back, one handed the one book to Ataram, but simply squawked at Brock. "Damn it, no information here either, and all this way" He said tightening his first as Ataram noticed this. She smiled as she flipped through the countless archives she was handed as she looked over at Brock, "what information are you looking for?" "You remember those guys that attacked us? They're a very select group of individual's, one who have the world at their disposal, and I thought coming here might turn up something, but I guess this place was changed as well" He said slamming his fist into a table and growling. "Oh, I see, so would they be the Shadow Broker I heard about? I use to work under Wild Banshee and a few of the members casually talked in private about secret dealings with them," she said going off of what Brock told her and remember the appearances of the ones that attacked. "They have more than anyone can realize, you see this magic?" Brock said showing his skin once again, "They created this, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before, not only that, but they're advance in the medical field as well, it's like they're trying to get every scrap of knowledge they could find" He said canceling his magic. "That looks similar to a magic Vermillion Saga was trying to create for Shadow Broker, I saw a few of his studies once while I was looking around," she said, "maybe he knows what it is exactly and can cure you in some way?" she said in a slight excited tone. "Yeah, I know there is suppose to be this archive in another part of the region, but I've been trying to find any clues that would hint to it" He said looking back at her. "Should we go then to Wild Banshee?" she asked standing up as she put down the archives on the receptionist desk as she had become more interested in this. "What exactly would they have there?" Brock asked as he looked at her with a curious look, he didn't know what exactly would be waiting for him, but his instincts told him to trust her. "Who knows, but if there is anything to be known of, Vermillion or Trebol know it..." she said as she asked the receptionist to put the archives back where they belong as she was done with them. 'Wild Banshee Cloud Biotope' "Shadow Broker are nice little toys for me," said a man as he played 3 dimensional chess by himself. "Of course sir, the Broker have no idea we have multiple agents hidden among their ranks" He said before continuing to view Vermillion playing. "Some suspect it... but in those cases I created quadruple agents," he chuckled at the cheap spin, almost basking in his superior intellect. "Trebol has become more lax in his watch of me," Vermillion said with a grin as he began laughing before standing up as he ptrapped the king on all 3 boards. "I so love playing chess with real people, don't you agree Ecks Royard?" Vermillion said as he looked at the man in the door way. "Yes of course, but is it really a necessity at the moment, we have no clue what is going on due to the recent change in the security, to be honest, I believe The Collector is starting to get suspiscious" He replied sitting down in front of him. Vermillion looked, "the Collector has been my boy for years now, he always gets suspicious, he never trusted me," he grinned, "but alas, he is playing a game that I've designed, and the entire world is participating in my game" he said as he looked down, "do you notice what you just did wrong?" "If I may, you may think that he is suspisious sir, but what if he knows what we are planning?" The Agent asks with a curious tone. "Given that we know nothing of his true identity Or his power". Vermillion with a slight annoyance to him avoiding the question popped vains in his forehead briefly as he grinned, "he may know, but knowing isn't my concern, I've purposely given him enough to know every detail," he said walking behind Ecks as he lifted the chair throwing him off it, "the answer was, sitting down without asking..." Vermillion looked, "you see, knowledge is what I possess, but The Collector also has knowledge, so if two opponents have equal knowledge, then who comes out on top?" Vermillion pointed an index finger to his brain, "but what if," he pretended to sound scared, "my opponent knows more than me?!" he then pointed to his brain again as well as their surroundings, "this is all that matters when defeating the weak... now, would you like a seat Ecks?" he said with a grin as he slammed the chair down now offering it to him. "I'll stand, in any case, we need to figure out what to do about the Subject Zero, he's trying to figure out where the archives are, and if the Broker finds out about the hidden stash, they will know something is up" He said looking back at him. "Let him find out, Subject Zero is of little concern to me at the moment," he said as he sat down on the chair infront of the chess board again, "he will probably come to me anyways if he's looking for clues to his current form, after all I'm the one who made him like that, I designed it myself for The Collector" he said. "Maybe you should use your feminine charms to wow him, if you had any feminine charm to begin with" he said staring at the chess board in slight frustration. He could never seem to beat himself at 3 dimensional chess. Ecks was about to attack the person, but found herself stopped by one of the agents, "You are needed to return to command my lady" The agent said as she huffed. "If this goes any further, I will not hesitate to betray you Vermillion" She said before walking out of the room with the agent following her. He looked up with a grin as another man stood in front of him,"isn't she a fiesty one? I always took a liking for those types" he said as the man looked down, "what should we do with her?", he said as Vermillion chuckled... "nothing, if she could escape my grasp so easily she'd have never met me... Ecks is a special woman, you see..." as he began breaking his composure as hysterical laughter rained down the halls. 'Somewhere in Aurum' Ataram had finally reached Aurum with Brock and Alice in the back seat of a vehicle operated via lacrima. "Wow, this is really nice, where did you get this car from?" Brock said as he was sitting down in the front with his sister riding in the back. Ataram looked forward at him, "it's been hours, now you asked?" she said, "I had it for while as I use it for easy traveling between countries, she said, so tell me more about this organization that's after you..." "Not much to say, to be honest the information I have is barley repliable" Brock said as he looked behind to see his sister sleeping. "Bascially, they're information Brokers, for some unknown reason, they're collecting knowledge about everything and anything they can get their theving hands on. I even heard they have some countries under their control, but at this point it's all speculation" He said leaning back on his chair. "I see," suddenly a man jumped in front of the vehicle as the road exploded but Ataram quickly cut open the roof of the vehicle as Brock, Alice and herself jumped out of the roof landing on the ground as the car was thrown into the revine where it crashed and exploded. "Well, Impressive for a criminal" The man said looking over to the roof of the building as they looked down at him. "Damn these guys are persistant, they must've been told about us" Brock said as he looked down at the man while carrying his still sleeping sister. Ataram looked at the large man, as she formed a magical red sword from its scabbard, in a fending stance, she took, "this brute appears to be insanely powerful" she commented on him. She doubt she could beat him, but she wasn't intending to beat him anyways as she was intending to just cause a distraction of some sort to allow them to escape, as she had plant seeds in her hand which she could use to further hold the distraction. Brock looked over, "Look, whatever you have planned, it won't work. This man is one of the Four Enforcer's for that group, the leader, and trust me he's ruthless. We need to figure out a retreat tactic" He said looking down at the man. "If you wish to run, you will need to be fast..." He said appearing right behind them as he attempted to take Brock's head, but was stopped by a surprised by the quick movements of both Brock and Ataram as they dodged, sweeping up a cloud of dust as it distracted him. She quickly threw several seeds into the mans flesh with the dust as she quickly ran into the undergrowth she gestured for Brock to follow her as she spoke a quick spell having the plants activate, she knew they wouldn't hold him but it wasn't meant too as she crawled deep enough into the forest where he couldn't easily sense them. Brock followed as the two managed to get a quick distance, but soon heard the eruption of magic energy as they went into hiding, completely covering their entire energy source to hide against him as he began to look around for them. Category:Burst Rush: The Cure Category:Chapters